With the hot sultry days coming to an end (hopefully) we can look forward to weekends at the apple orchards in and near Wayne County. We are lucky to have access to two family-owned orchards so near to enjoy the bounties each year!
Dougherty Orchard- near Cambridge City IN
Baskets of many varieties of apples are waiting for you at Dougherty Orchard-but that’s not all! Step inside the little country store and smell the freshly made cinnamon donuts, apple dumplings and apple smoothies. Then check out the shelves of local honeys, jellies and jams. For more of a sweet tooth you will find an offering of candies and caramel popcorn. And for those who love everything sour, you must try their giant pickles!
Once you’ve loaded up on their delicious foods and apples, head out to one of the best petting zoos for miles. Through the gates you will find animals of all sorts freely roaming their natural habitats. They do enjoy snacks, which can be purchased in the store, and will happily eat them from the ground or out of your palm. They include chickens, goats, pot bellied pigs, rabbits and more! You can even feed the fish in the large pond and the ducks as they waddle by.
Over the little bridge you’ll find large pigs, small ponies and more. It’s a wonderful way to spend an afternoon with family and friends in Wayne County IN. There is a nominal fee for adults and children to enter the petting zoo. The monies collected help to maintain the lifestyle these wonderful animals enjoy. Click here for hours and cost of entry.
A little history:
The oldest family owned orchard in Indiana, “William Henry Dougherty established the orchard after serving during the Civil War. Upon his return from war, he purchased 160 acres of land and planted five of those acres with apple, cherry, and peach trees. He officially founded the orchard in 1883.” Six generations later, Dougherty orchard is still family owned and operated and offers an enjoyable experience to families year after year. Many children return with their own children to experience the wonders of a working orchard.
Stay tuned for another look into family orchards in and near Wayne County when we look at Wessler’s Orchard in New Paris Ohio.
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